And when I was fifteen yeere old, And drove the Saxons from the realme, All Scotland then, throughe manly feates, Ireland, Denmarke, Norwaye, I conquered all Gallya, That now is called France; And slew the hardye Froll in feild, And the ugly gyant Dynabus, Soe terrible to vewe, That in Saint Barnards mount did lye, 25 30 335 40 And Lucyus, the emperour of Rome, 45 I brought to deadly wracke; And a thousand more of noble knightes V. 39, Froland field. MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul. V. 41, Danibus. MS. V. 49, of Pavye. MS. Then I came to Rome, where I was mett And by all the cardinalls solempnelye One winter there I made abode, 60 How Mordred had oppressd the crowne, Att home in Brittaine with my queene : 65 To Brittaine backe, with all my power, And soone at Sandwiche I arrivde, Where Mordred me withstoode : 70 But yett at last I landed there, With effusion of much blood. For there my nephew Sir Gawaine dyed, There all the traiterous men were slaine, And there dyed all my vallyant knightes. Two and twenty yeere I ware the crowne VI. A Dyttie to Hey Downe. Copied from an old MS. in the Cotton library [Vesp. A. 25], entitled "Divers things of Hen. viij's time." WHO sekes to tame the blustering winde, Or causse the floods bend to his wyll, Or els against dame nature's kinde To'change' things frame by cunning skyll : That man I thinke bestoweth paine, Who strives to breake the sturdye steele, Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine. Who thinks to stryve against the streame, ⚫ Unlesse he thinks perhapps to faine, Ver. 4, causse. MS. 5 10 15 So he lykewise, that goes about A golden gyft with him to beare; ; 20 God grant eche man one to amend 25 God send us all a happy place; An ingenious friend thinks that the following old ditty (which is printed from the Editor's folio MS.) may possibly have given birth to the Tragedy of The Orphan, in which Polidore intercepts Monimia's intended favours to Castalio. See what is said concerning the hero of this song (who is celebrated by Chaucer under the name of Glaskyrion), in the Essay prefixed to vol. i., note (H), part iv. (2). GLASGERION was a kings owne sonne, And a harper he was goode; He harped in the kings chambere, And soe did hee in the queens chambere, 5 And then bespake the kinges daughter, And these wordes thus shee sayd: "Strike on, strike on, Glasgerion, 10 Theres never a stroke comes oer thy harpe, Ver. 6, wood. MS. "Faire might he fall," quoth hee, "But come to my bower, my Glasgerion, When all men are att rest: As I am a ladie true of my promise, Thou shalt bee a welcome guest." Home then came Glasgèrion, A glad man, lord! was hee: And, come thou hither, Jacke my boy, "For the kinges daughter of Normandye 15 20 25 "O master, master," then quoth hee, 30 Afore it be time to gone." But up then rose that lither ladd, A coller he cast upon his necke, Hee seemed a gentleman. And when he came to the ladyes chamber, He thrild upon a pinn:1 The lady was true of her promise, 35 And rose and lett him inn. He did not take the lady gaye To boulster nor to bed: 'Nor thoughe hee had his wicked wille, A single word he sed.' V. 16, harte. MS. 40 1 This is elsewhere expressed 'twirled the pin,' or 'tirled at the pin,' [see b. viii. s. vi. v. 3,] and seems to refer to the turning round the button on the outside of a door, by which the latch rises, still used in cottages. |